A stair-step exercise routine is one in which a person steps onto and off of an exercise platform in a repeated motion in order to simulate the exercise of walking or running up a set of stairs. The difficulty of the exercise is determined, among other things, by the height of the platform used during the exercise routine. Specifically, the higher the platform, the more difficult the stair-step exercise routine tends to be. Thus, the height of the platform used by any particular individual depends upon that individual's level of skill, endurance and on the amount of workout desired.
Stair-step exercise routines are typically performed at health clubs or other exercise facilities by a group of people who, simultaneously, step onto and off of either the same or different exercise platforms. Because not everyone in the group has the same level of endurance or desires the same level of workout, a number of different height exercise platforms are required to satisfy the needs of all the individuals within any particular group performing a stair-step exercise routine.
Presently, most stair-step exercise platforms consist of a number of prefabricated boards stacked on top of one another so as to make a platform of any desired height. Typically, however, these boards are long, bulky, heavy and must be stored at a location away from the exercise area when the boards are not being used as part of the platform. These features make it difficult and time-consuming to reconfigure the exercise platform in order to adjust the height thereof, either before or during any particular stair-step exercise routine. Furthermore, all the people using a particular platform must agree as to the specific height of the platform before any reconfiguration can be performed. Thus, it is desirable to have an individual stair-step exercise platform which is easily adjustable in height.
Although some individual, height adjustable stair-step exercise platforms are known, these stair-step exercise platforms typically include a single platform surface supported by risers at ends thereof. The risers may be extendable to allow the platform surface to be located at one of a number of predetermined heights. This configuration is considered inadequate, however, because all of a person's weight is transferred to the floor through the risers, which makes the platform somewhat unsteady and, at larger heights unstable, as a person is stepping onto and off of the platform. Furthermore, the extendable risers require numerous movable parts which makes this stair-step exercise platform less reliable than one requiring fewer movable parts. These numerous parts also make these platforms more difficult to manufacture.
To overcome these disadvantages, it is desirable to provide an individual stair-step exercise platform which can be easily adjusted in height either before or during an exercise routine, one which is sturdy at any configurable height, one which is portable and one which is made from simple and inexpensive materials to enable ease in manufacturing.